


The Final Result

by SherlockianSyndromes



Series: The Femlock 'Verse [3]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Angst, Drabble, F/F, Femlock
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-22 08:21:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20871125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SherlockianSyndromes/pseuds/SherlockianSyndromes
Summary: The Blank Page. A “free square” or empty page you can fill with anything you like.The wine had gone to Jane's head, apparently.





	The Final Result

Jane stumbled into the flat, giggling at whatever Shirley'd just said. She already couldn’t remember what it was, but she knew it had been funny. The wine had gone to her head, apparently.  
  
“You all right?” Shirley asked, raising an eyebrow. “I think you had a little too much wine at dinner.”  
  
Jane flapped a hand in Shirley’s general direction. “I’m absolutely fine, I promise.”  
  
Shirley hung up her coat and then turned back toward Jane, who was leaning on the back of her overstuffed chair in the living room. Shirley took a few steps and gripped Jane’s shoulders with her delicate hands. “You sure? How many of me do you see?”  
  
Jane’s breath hitched in her chest and all thoughts of apprehension and fear floated away.  
  
“Just one. Only one.”  
  
Shirley cocked her head to the side and stared Jane down, trying to read her face.  
  
Jane took a deep breath. It was time for the final phase of the experiment she’d begun this afternoon when she asked Shirley to do her makeup, that had continued when Shirley had taken her out to dinner.  
  
“I love you, Shirl.”  
  
Shirley’s muscles stiffened and she immediately took two steps back.  
  
Jane felt her heart drop to her stomach, even though this reaction was exactly what she had expected, deep down.  
  
“What?” Shirley asked, as if she hadn’t heard what Jane just said.  
  
Jane inhaled slowly, exhaled a breath that shook and she cursed at herself for it. “I said I love you, Shirley.”  
  
Shirley blinked a few times. “In what way?”  
  
Jane felt tears pricking at her eyes. “As in, I’m in love with you. I’m in love with you even though I know I shouldn’t be, because this isn’t your area. But I’ve kept it locked inside for so long and...and I just needed to say it. No matter the consequence.”  
  
Shirley’s eyes went wide, the solution to the puzzle clicking into place inside her mind.  
  
“The makeup. Dinner.”  
  
“Yeah. Yeah, it’s all been a little ruse building up to this.”  
  
Shirley ran a hand through her hair and took a few more steps way from Jane. “Jane, I - I’m sorry but I just don’t feel that way about you. I care about you, yes, I like having you around, and you’re an excellent partner on cases, but –”  
  
Jane nodded curtly. “But.” She felt a tear finally fall and she brushed it from her cheek quickly. “Well.”  
  
“I’m sorry Jane. But that’s how I feel.” Shirley stood with her arms folded across her chest, looking as if she wanted to end this conversation and pretend it never happened. As if she wanted to be anywhere but here in the room with Jane.  
  
“No need to be sorry. Just saying it was...good.” Jane longed to touch Shirley on the shoulder, to kiss her on the cheek, but she knew that Shirley would only flinch away. Instead, she forced a smile to her face and absently wiped at her cheeks.  
  
“Thank you for doing my makeup and going to dinner with me. I’m going to bed. Good night, Shirl.”  
  
“Good night,” Shirley muttered.  
  
Jane turned and didn’t look back. She walked up the flight of stairs to her room, fumbled at the doorknob, and went inside. She closed the door behind her, making sure it made as little noise as possible.  
  
Jane sat down at her vanity, but didn’t turn on the lights lining the mirror. Instead, she stared at her reflection in the dark.  
  
“Experiment over, love.”  
  
She reached for her makeup remover wipes, tugged one of the damp cloths free, and began wiping off her face. As she watched the face Shirley painted for her melt away, Jane couldn’t stop the tears from falling anymore. The cloth fell limp from her hand, and she smothered her face as sobs began to rack her body.  
  
She didn’t want Shirley to hear her, after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Watson's Woes JWP 2018.


End file.
